Bagging device with pivotally mounted guide and spreader fingers



March 31, 1953 M. a. RASMUSSON 2,633,231

' BAGGING DEVICE WITH PIVOTALLY MOUNTED GUIDE AND SPREADER FINGERS Filed Aug. 18, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 IN VE/VTOR ASMUSSO/V MARLIN B. R

ATTORNEY March 31, 1953 M. B. RASMUSSON 2,633,281

- BAGGING DEVICE WITH PIVOTALLY MOUNTED GUIDE AND SPREADER FINGERS 2' SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Aug. 18, 1947 INVENTOI? MARLl/V B. RASMU 50 Erik ,v

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 31 1953 OFFICE BAGGING DEVICE MOUNTED GUID FINGERS WITH PIVOTALLY E AND SPREADER Marlin B. Rasmusson, Sacramento, Calif. Application August 18, 1947, Serial No. 769,259

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a bagging device.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a bagging device wherein an article passing to the bag actuates spreader elements for holding the top of the bag open and for guiding the article into the bag.

Particularly the invention is directed to the provision of spreader elements which are automatically withdrawn to an initial out of way position away from the open top of the bag, and which are moved by the article passing to said bag so as to spread the top of the bag apart and hold it spread while the article descends into the bag.

The essential features of the invention involved in the carrying out of the objects indicated and other objects in view, which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, are susceptible to modification, but a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a side view of the invention as applied to a bagging mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of said bagging mechanism partly in section the section being taken on lines 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front View of the bagging device shown partly in section.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental sectional side View of the bagging device.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental sectional front View of the bagging device.

The bagging device constructed in accordance with my invention is shown in the illustrative embodiment herein in connection with the type of bagging mechanism for frozen confections and the like generally described and shown in my pending application Serial No. 535,502, filed May 13, 1944, now Patent Number 2,535,231, for Method and Apparatus for Making Frozen Confections.

In general the type of bagging mechanism illustrated includes a downwardly tapering chute 6. On the lower end of the chute is a frame formed by a pair of parallel spaced side plates 1 secured by suitable mounting brackets 8 to the opposite sides of the lower end of the chute 6. The spacing between the plates I is such as to accommodate a stack of suitable bags 9, made of paper or so called glassine or other suitable material. Between the plates 7 is an arcuate bottom H to support the stack of bags 9 at the suitable angles as necessitated by the use of a pendulum weight l2 which urges the stack of bags 9 toward and under the chute 6. This follower weight I2 is pivoted at |3 on the lower end of a lever I 4, which lever in turn is pivoted at its upper end to a suitable bearing bracket I6 near the upper end of the chute 6. The chute 6 is connected to a discharge mechanism not shown.

The bags 9 are set in an upright position so that the open ends of the bags open upwardly and toward the chute 6. The projecting flap I! at the rear or longer side of each bag, when it reaches the chute 6, abuts against tongues I8 extended downwardly from the rear wall of the chute 6. The bottom of the bag 9 under the chute abuts against a cross bar 2| extended across between the plates 1 near the bottom thereof. In this manner the bags are held under the chute. A side intake 22 on the front wall of the chute 6 is connected to any suitable blower, not shown, and is directed downwardly into the chute 6 so as to blow in with sufficient force to keep the bag 9 open as shown in Fig. 1.

A suitable guard 23 is looped around in front of the space between the plates 1 and under the chute 6 to prevent the toppling over of the bag 9. An inclined apron 24 extends downwardly from the bottom of the frame between the plates 1 so that when the bottom of the bag 9 is pulled away and out from between the plates 1, the apron 24 assists in sliding the bag onto a suitable conveyor.

For identification purposes the walls of the chute 6 will be hereinafter referred to as the front wall 26 and the rear wall 2'l,'and downwardly tapering sides 28 between the edges of the walls 26 and 21. The lower ends of the walls 26 and 2! are extended outwardly on the both sides so as to form opposite bracket walls 29, and the lower ends of the sides 28 are formed into lugs 3| therebetween for the mounting screws 32 for the side plates 1.

In said outward extensions and outside of the outlet passage of the chute 6, at each side, is a pivot shaft 33 extending between the front and the rear walls and under the adjacent lug 3|. 33 is journaled a spreader Each spreader finger has a hub 36 which is journaled on the pivot shaft 33. From each hub 36 extends toward the chute a flat arm portion from which extends downwardly an inwardly of the chute the finger 34. Each finger 34 is flat with edges converging to a rounded tip 31 as particularly shown in Fig. 2.

Each spreader finger 34 is urged inwardly under the outlet of the chute 6 by suitable coil spring 38, so as to obstruct passage from the same.

are usually longer than .confection 44, the confection will release the arcuate portion 39 is a coil 4| which is coiled around the pivot shaft which coil bears against the adjacent side plate 1. The spring tension normally urges the middle portion 39 upwardly and toward the outlet of the chute 6 thereby normally urging the spreader finger 34 to the position shown in Fig. 3. In this initial position'the spreader fingers 34 are above the level and out of the way of the top edge 43 of the shorter side of the bag 9.

As the frozen confection approaches the outlet end of the chute and passes the side air intake 22, the effect of the blown air in the bag is diminished and there is a tendency for the bag to collapse. Therefore at the moment when the confection reaches the outlet, it is advantageous to have the spreaders in the top of .the bag to keep the same open and prevent the bag from collapsing while the confection drops into the bag.

The frozen confection 44, indicated in Fig. 5, .descends from the chute 6 and drops upon the fingers 34 and depresses them so that the fingers 34 engage the opposite sides of the frozen confection or bar 44 and guide the same substantial- 1y perpendicularly as it drops into the bag. Also as the fingers 34 are depressed they enter into the top of the bag, as shown in Fig. and prevent its collapsing while the frozen confection or bar 44 drops into the same. Inasmuch as the bags 9 the length of the frozen spreader fingers 34 even before it reaches the bottom of the bag 9 and thus the spreader fingers 34 return to the initial position under the chute outlet before the weight and momentum of the confection moves the bag 9 out from its previous restraint and away from between the plates I. In the present illustration the frozen confection or bar has a stick 46 therein, as made in accordance with my invention described in my co-pending application heretofore referred to.

The herein device greatly improves the operation of the bagging mechanism because as the bags are passed under the chute the closing of the bag and the dropping of the frozen confection past a closed bag is positively prevented, and the frozen confection is guided into the bag which is kept spread by the same guiding device, without otherwise interfering with the feeding and releasing of the bags in the bagging mechanism.

33, the end 42 of each of :said bag at least partially;

I claim:

In a bagging device, an upright chute having a bottom outlet through which articles are dropped; means to feed an empty bag beneath said outlet with the filling end of said bag uppermost; an air passage leading into said chute to direct air into the filling end of said bag to open a pair of parallel spaced pivot shafts above said bag horizontally disposed at opposite sides of said outlet; a pair of fingers each being journaled on one of said shafts and movable under the impetus of an article dropping from said outlet from a first substantially horizontal position extending beneath said outlet in the path of and for engagement by the bottom and sides of said dropping article into a second substantially vertical position, said fingers being tapered to a narrow width at their free ends for entry between and spreading engagement with the adjoining inside walls of said at least partially open bag as said fingers aremoved from said first position to said second position; springs for said pivot shafts ineffective to support said dropping article but effective after disengagement of said fingers by said dropping article and said bag to return said fingers from said second position to said first position; and means below said outlet for supporting said empty bag at the bottom thereof, said supporting means being disposed to one side of the path of said dropping article whereby the impetus of said dropping article dislodges said bag from said side support and strips said article-filled bag by a dropping movement from said substantially vertical fingers in said second position,

MARLIN B RASMUSSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

